EngAGE

05/27/2026

We’re Hiring! 📣 CFAA Program Assistant – Salem

The Community for All Ages (CFAA) Program Assistant reports directly to the EngAGE Northwest Executive Director and collaborates with the CFAA Program Director, upper management team, and national Program Directors to support innovative community programming.

This role helps develop and facilitate on-site programs focused on wellness, creativity, lifelong learning, and community building while promoting healthy aging and intergenerational connection in affordable housing communities.

Responsibilities include:
• Developing and facilitating classes, workshops, events & celebrations
• Connecting residents with local resources and support services
• Recruiting volunteers, entertainers & partner organizations
• Managing schedules, contracts, budgets & monthly reports
• Collaborating with property management and the EngAGE team
• Monitoring program success and supporting resident well-being

Qualifications:
✔ Strong communication & interpersonal skills
✔ Ability to work independently in a dynamic environment
✔ Experience with older adults, youth, or low-income communities preferred
✔ Knowledge of Excel & Word
✔ Bilingual skills are a plus

Requirements:
• Valid Oregon driver’s license, insurance & good driving record
• Must be an Oregon resident

Apply today!
🔗 https://www.engageforlife.org/job-opportunities

05/26/2026

Trying new creative activities like acting 🎭, writing ✍️, or art 🎨 sparks imagination, builds confidence, and fosters connection. Discover creativity with EngAGE!

05/25/2026

We are living in one of the most diverse periods in human history — a time filled with opportunities for cultural growth, innovation, economic progress, and stronger communities. Diversity across race, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, gender, religion, lived experience, and perspective broadens the way we think, create, and solve problems together.

Some of the greatest benefits of diversity include increased creativity and innovation, stronger problem-solving, deeper empathy and understanding, cultural richness, economic resilience, and a more inclusive sense of belonging.

Thank you to our host, Liv Schafer, for leading such an engaging and insightful discussion through personal storytelling and shared experiences. A special thank you to Maria and Shaakhini for sharing your time, perspectives, and practical wisdom with us. And of course, thank you to everyone who joined the conversation. We hope you found it meaningful and left inspired about what’s ahead at EngAGE on the intergenerational front.

Follow us as we continue building stronger, healthier communities — together.

Check our bio to learn more about our past webinar on intergenerational relationships.

05/25/2026

05/23/2026

To celebrate AAPI Heritage Month this May, EngAGE hosted a Japanese Taiko Drum workshop in Chinatown last weekend. As you can see from their smiles and energetic drumming, the residents truly enjoyed the experience. Celebrating the many cultures and heritages represented in our communities is an important part of EngAGE programming.

Thank you to Makoto Taiko .taiko, and a special thank you to our facilitators, Karen and Rebecca, for leading such a meaningful afternoon.

Celebrating heritage and culture gives aging adults a strong sense of purpose, helps reduce social isolation, and supports cognitive and emotional well-being. By participating in cultural traditions, seniors strengthen their personal identity, build intergenerational connections, and foster resilience later in life.

05/21/2026

Life of an Actor 🎭

Residents at The Piedmont recently completed a six-week Life of an Actor workshop led by teaching artist David St. James. Through guided prompts, monologues, dialogues, and filmed performances, participants explored the art of acting while building creativity, confidence, and self-expression.

During the final sessions, residents watched their performances on screen and received personalized feedback—offering a true behind-the-scenes experience of theater and film. Participants shared how much they enjoyed stepping into character, learning new skills, and experiencing the excitement of acting together.

A special thank you to David St. James for inspiring this creative journey, and to Michael Merton for beautifully capturing these memorable performances on film. Bravo to all the talented residents who took center stage! 👏✨

05/19/2026

At EngAGE, we create communities where support, inclusion, and belonging come naturally. 🌟 Discover a place where connection transforms lives and wellness thrives. Our communities are more than housing—they’re vibrant spaces where people truly flourish. 🏡 Find a community where you feel at home.💚

05/18/2026

The Memoir Writing program at NoHo Senior Arts Colony and Burbank Senior Artists Colony empowers residents to discover the power of sharing their life stories.

Meeting virtually twice a month over five months, this engaging class gives participants the opportunity to reflect, write, and develop their unique storytelling voice. Guided by teaching artist Marlene Nichols, residents learn how to shape personal memories into meaningful narratives while building confidence in their creative expression.

Through shared stories, participants inspire one another to connect, learn, and create within a supportive community where every voice is valued and heard.

Memoir writing also supports healthy aging by promoting cognitive wellness, reducing stress, and fostering a sense of purpose and legacy. The process offers therapeutic benefits by helping seniors reflect on life experiences, strengthen family connections, and stimulate creativity and brain activity.

05/15/2026

Help us send our congratulations on a job well done from a community forever changed!

After 22 remarkable years with EngAGE, we extend our deepest gratitude and warmest congratulations to Nancy Goodhart as she begins a new adventure.

Nancy’s journey with EngAGE reflects both her deep dedication to our mission and the extraordinary impact she has had across the organization. She began her work with EngAGE as a teacher, sharing her creativity and knowledge directly with residents in the classroom. She later stepped into the role of Program Director, helping guide programming and deepen the creative and community-building experiences that define EngAGE.

In 2014, Nancy was promoted to the leadership team as Chief Operating Officer, where she oversaw both operations and programs. In this role, she helped shape the systems, practices, and program delivery that support EngAGE communities still today.

Nancy played an important role in strengthening the foundation of our work as the co-author of “The Essentials of Aging” a 12-week introduction to the EngAGE model that has helped articulate and share the principles behind our approach to creative and healthy aging.

Throughout her time with EngAGE, Nancy has been a thoughtful and steady leader, someone who cares deeply about residents, staff, and the mission of transforming affordable housing communities into vibrant centers of creativity, wellness, and connection. Her leadership has helped ensure that thousands of residents experience the power of creativity, community, and belonging.

Nancy is not only a colleague but also a mentor, collaborator, and friend to many. Her legacy will continue to be felt in the programs we deliver, the communities we serve, and the people she inspired along the way.

While we will miss her presence, we celebrate this exciting new chapter and wish Nancy many years filled with relaxation, adventure, and time with the people and activities she loves most.

Nancy, thank you for 22 incredible years of dedication to EngAGE. Your impact will continue to be felt throughout the EngAGE community for years to come.

&R

05/14/2026

Whether studying acting with Tinia Orduna or improvising with Jose DeGracia, residents are discovering the joy of performance through the guidance of these talented teaching artists. Through acting, improv, and creative expression, participants collaborate to develop a theatrical presentation in ongoing workshops open to all residents—whether they are experienced performers or trying acting for the first time.

As highlighted in Arts & Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice, acting classes for seniors in affordable housing communities, such as those offered by EngAGE at the Long Beach Senior Arts Colony, support mental, emotional, and physical well-being through creative engagement. Using improvisational games, scene work, and storytelling, these programs help reduce isolation, strengthen memory, encourage new friendships, and improve residents’ overall quality of life.

Sutherland, L., Dunkle, R. E., & Pace, G. T. (2024). Enhancing social connections through an acting and improvisation course for older Americans in low-income housing. Arts & Health, 16(1), 48–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2023.2211085